Echo
by SuperNeos2
Summary: The echo of the gunshot still rings in his ears. Carl/Beth


Disclaimer: Don't own Walking Dead

Title: Echo

Pairing: Carl/Beth

Summary: The echo of the gunshot still rings in his ears.

AN: **A week late, I know but I was in depression after losing T-Dog and yes, even Lori. Bright side is that the date from Knight in a Cowboy Hat is right around the corner, give or take two days. I'm writing a story in another archive for a contest and have to focus on that since the contest ends in ten days, hence another reason why this was late.**

Carl threw the knife in disgust.

This damn weapon killed his mom and he would be damned if he held onto it any longer.

His dad just picked up an ax and disappeared into the prison where he and Maggie exited from, along with the baby. Carl stared at his sister and looked away in a flash. He killed his half-sister's parents, Shane and Lori. They were dead because of him.

While Shane was a team effort from him and his dad, Lori was all him. He had been the one to shoot her in the head so she wouldn't come back as a walker. He killed his sister's mother and he would never be able to forget that.

What made it worse was that before today, he wasn't even acting like a good son to her. He'd been acting like an asshole and pushed her away, just like his father. And now she was gone. He got closure while Rick didn't. His dad was probably going to take his anger out in his own way.

Just thinking about her made the death replay in his head.

He took off running to the field where they camped out the first night in the prison.

He didn't even notice someone following him.

…

Carl threw his gun to the ground.

He didn't care if he broke it.

All he wanted to do was destroy it.

This gun put his mom down for good and it needed to pay.

Falling to his knees, he let his sobs out. He hadn't shown enough regret about killing his mom and he would show enough until he felt satisfied, even if he had to force it out. He grabbed his hat and held it to his chest with one hand while using his other to punch the ground. He was so caught up in his cry-fest that he didn't feel someone wrap their arms around him.

The touch brought him back to when he hugged his mom before killing her.

The gunshot echoed.

"There there," the voice shushed him. "It's okay,"

Carl recognized the voice. It was Beth. Normally having her arms around him would make him happy, but now it only made him sadder than he was. He didn't move his position, only crying louder.

"No it's not," he sobbed out. "I killed my mom."

"No you didn't." Beth shook her head, "You helped her."

"I shot her."

"You stopped her from coming back as a walker. You did the right thing."

Beth kissed the side of his head to try and calm him. All it did was make Carl remember his mom's final goodbye to him. He forced himself away from Beth.

The gunshot got louder.

"You don't know," Carl spoke. "You don't know what it's like to kill a parent." He started to shake. "It's the worse feeling ever! My sister is parentless and it's because of me! I killed my sister's parents! Stop trying to make it seem like nothing happened!"

Carl fell to the ground, rolling on his side and crying some more.

The gunshot held.

Beth moved closer and lay down so her face was facing his. "Don't blame yourself. Feeling guilty won't solve anything. Your dad and sister need you and you need them." She pulled him into a hug, "Lori wouldn't want you to blame yourself."

"My mom died and I killed her."

"You saved her and don't think you were a bad son," she kissed his shoulder. "You were a great son to her and she knew it."

"_My sweet boy. Best thing I ever did._"

Carl remembered his mother's words and realized Beth was right. Lori didn't think he was a bad son to her. She felt he was the best thing to ever happen to her and even in death she loved him.

"Don't be guilty."

One final kiss on his cheek got Carl to visibly calm down. Smiling with tear stained eyes, he held onto Beth tight as he enjoyed her embrace.

The gunshot got lower.

End of Echo

Kinda sucked, but it's something, right?

I was kinda mad how tonight Daryl told Beth to watch Carl and we didn't see that. We were in Woodbury for too long this episode and didn't get enough prison time.

Look out this week for 'The Date'


End file.
